


Opening the Book

by DebbieF



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Gen, Sequel to A Book and Its Cover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-28
Updated: 2014-02-28
Packaged: 2018-01-14 03:01:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1250296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DebbieF/pseuds/DebbieF
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A sequel was asked for in one of my writing groups and I obliged.<br/>You should read A Book and Its Cover first to understand this story.<br/>Daniel explains his unusual talent.<br/>Also, for those who have read the first story, you may want to re-read it as it was nicely pointed out to me a glitch apparently happened when I posted it. <br/>Somehow the story appeared twice in the post making it hard to read.<br/>I have since corrected the problem.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Opening the Book

*Friday Team Night at Jack O’Neill’s*

The beer came from Jack’s favorite grocery store down the street, the pizza from Dinello’s, and the cheesecake from the local bakery courtesy of Carter.

Daniel had stayed overnight at Jack’s so you could say he actually was the first guest there. They had made sure that Teal’c had a hat to cover his tattoo which showed his former service to the false God Apophis or *Apops* as Jack liked to call him.

After filling up on good food they relaxed nursing their beers, fruit juice for Teal’c though as he was a teetotaler.

“Okay, Danny boy, time to fill us in on your secret past,” Jack held up his drink in a toast. “Your talents never cease to amaze me.”

Nearly choking on his beer, Daniel seemed to remember those exact words spilling from Jack’s lips from a prior mission. After wiping his mouth, he exchanged a wry glance with Sam. “Guess I can’t get out of this.”

“I doubt it,” she snorted in reply.

“Hate to disappoint you, but it wasn’t much of a secret, Jack.”

“It was to me,” Jack admitted. “Didn’t know you had it in you. You could give me lessons and then some. I mean the way you threw those knives spoke of special ops training. None of which you’ve ever had.” Jack took a sip of his beer.

“That you know of, O’Neill.”

“I doubt Danny’s the next James Bond in disguise, Teal’c.”

Basking in his best friend’s admiration, it really bolstered his confidence. “When you go on digs all over the world as I have you pick things up here or there,” Daniel remarked easily.

“There’s picking up and then there’s *picking up*,” Jack emphasized, “if you get my drift.”

“You’re not going to let this go are you?” Daniel closed his eyes briefly and leaned back his head on the chair.

“Nope.” Jack held up a finger. “Don’t think pretending to sleep is gonna help you either.”

“Be careful, Daniel, or the colonel will be having you start teaching that technique to our base personnel,” Sam laughed as she watched the young man’s blue eyes snap open to glare at her.

“Good suggestion,” Jack agreed. “That was pretty slick work.”

“Okay, okay,” Daniel couldn’t say he wasn’t expecting this. “You’re like a dog with a bone.”

“A very big bone,” Jack chuckled and took another swig of beer.

Going by the curious expression crossing Teal’c’s features, Daniel knew that his teammate lost the thread of their conversation. So he explained what they meant. “In other words, Jack’s going to nag away at me until I tell him what he wants to know.”

“Then you should say what you mean, Daniel Jackson.”

“That’s tellin’ them, Teal’c.” Sam put another piece of cheesecake on her plate and relished its taste on her tongue. “Mmmmm, glad I bought this.”

“How about leaving some for us,” Jack enjoyed cheesecake too but the way Sam was going at it there may not be any left soon.”

Enjoying the by-play between the two, Daniel smiled to himself. “You know we could always do this another time.”

“Ain’t gettin’ out of this,” Jack warned, shaking his bottle of beer at him.

Hanging his head down, Daniel prayed for patients. When he lifted his head back up, he wore a determined look. “All right then,” he gazed at all of them ruefully. “I was only twenty one at the time and on my second dig in Egypt....”

“Now there’s a surprise,” Jack broke in.

“Do you want to hear this or not?” Daniel was getting annoyed at the man. If he was going to keep interrupting he’d refuse to continue.

Waving his hand for Daniel to carry on, Jack shut up for the moment.

“As you know one has to be careful of all types of desert creatures. The snakes especially are always on top of the list,” Daniel paused to take another sip of his beer and pulled a face.

“What’s wrong?” Jack figured he’d already knew what had happened.

“It’s warm now, plus I really don’t care for beer much.”

“You’ll learn to appreciate it,” Jack snorted.

“Ummm, where was I, oh yeah, I nearly got bitten once if it hadn’t been for Akiiki.”

“Uh, did you just say Ikea?” Jack couldn’t resist teasing Daniel.

“Akiiki, his name means *friendly*.” Daniel glared at the older man, daring him to say another smart remark. “I owe my life to him. He threw a knife at the snake faster than anything I’ve ever seen except for you, Jack.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“It is, believe me,” Daniel smiled. “So Akiiki took me under his wing and taught me the finer techniques of knife throwing.”

“Knives 101,” Jack quipped.

“Exactly,” Sam thought Daniel’s story was really interesting.

“You threw with great accuracy,” Teal’c seemed pleased with Daniel’s accomplishments.

“Yes, well,” Daniel was beginning to feel uncomfortable. Talking about his past always did that to him. It wasn’t like he discussed it a lot, because basically he was a private person. This almost felt like boasting, something he would normally never do. But thanks to Jack’s inquisitive nature he found himself opening up. “Akiiki was an excellent teacher.”

Daniel stared into his nearly empty bottle for a few seconds as he remembered his teacher’s words. “Akiiki was extremely patient with a beginner like me,” he shot Jack a dark look, “not like some people I know.”

“Hey!”

“Can’t take the heat, Jack, then stay out of the kitchen,” Daniel raised his bottle in a mock salute.

“You really asked for that one,” Sam chuckled as Jack stared open mouthed at Daniel.

“Indeed, O’Neill. Patience is not a great virtue of yours.”

“How did this discussion suddenly become about me?” Jack’s face was a picture of confusion.

“What *discussion*?” Daniel glared. “You wouldn’t be satisfied with a simple answer,” he huffed in irritation.

“There’s nothin’ ever *simple* where you’re concerned, kiddo,” Jack’s brown eyes narrowed. “This Ikea guy taught you well,” he rubbed his chin. “Now why can’t you follow my lead when I try to teach you hand to hand?”

“I’m a civilian,” Daniel retorted dryly. “I dance to my own drummer.”

“Who cares about dancin’?” Jack scratched his head. 

“Tell us more about your friend, Daniel,” Sam encouraged, trying to get the conversation back on track.

“That skill really came in handy I can tell you,” Daniel smiled as he reflected back on what a useful tool it had become. “Snakes weren’t the only things I needed to protect myself from.”

Sam knew what her young teammate meant as did the others. “Marauders?”

“Oh yeah. There was always the threat of grave robbers as well,” Daniel shook off the old memories with a grimace. “Risks of the job.”

“Still, it gave you a life skill that will be handy off-world,” Jack commended. “Foland’s face was a picture.”

“I wished I could have seen you in action,” Sam mused wistfully.

“We should get you kitted out with a bullwhip on our next trip through the gate and then we could call you *Indiana Daniel*,” Jack winked at the younger man’s shock and laughed outright when Daniel spit out the rest of his beer.

“You... you... wouldn’t?” Daniel stuttered.

“Wouldn’t I?”

“Jack!”

“Daniel.”

“We all know how this goes, O’Neill,” Teal’c’s voice rumbled deeply. “Cease baiting Daniel Jackson immediately!”

“Always his protector,” Jack was more amused than annoyed at how Teal’c jumped in to rescue Daniel. “I’m just razzing the kid.”

“It’s okay,” Daniel murmured quietly to the huge Jaffa. “As long as Jack behaves himself.”

“And if I don’t,” Jack challenged with an arch of a brow.

Eyes sparkling, Daniel simply said, “I might use you for target practice next time.” He stood up to go grab another beer from the kitchen. “Remember, I rarely miss.”

“Damn! Kid had the last word!” Jack exclaimed as Daniel left the room.

“Face it,” Sam jibed, “you’re outclassed.”

“Like hell!”

“I agree with Captain Carter.”

“No surprise there,” Jack snarled in disgust. “I get no damn respect!”

“Respect has to be earned,” Daniel chortled as he walked back into the room.

“Your ass is too young for me to respect it yet.”

“However *young* my ass is,” Daniel glanced at the clock, “the night isn’t and I need to hit the road.”

“Aw, you could stay the night again,” Jack cajoled.

“There’s a few things I really need to attend to at home.”

“Probably some stuffy old journals,” Jack grumbled into his beer.

“This was fun, but I better get Teal’c back to the base.” Sam grabbed her jacket and joined Daniel at the door.

“A most entertaining evening, O’Neill.”

“As long as we’re not off-world, Friday nights will always be designated team night at casa O’Neill.”

Before Daniel left he faced his friend. “I noticed that lately when you throw your knife you shift a little to your left which unbalances you. I could help you correct that if you don’t mind being taught by this *young ass* of mine.”

Slapping Daniel on the back, Jack shook his head. “I can take it if you can, Danny.”

“Works for me.” Daniel shrugged into his jacket. “See you later, Colonel O’Neill.”

The End


End file.
